Electronic/Ambient
Monday Mixer #7 [Springtime]
This week, we are very excited to present Week 7 of the Monday Mixer playlists, a collaborative playlist created each Monday by some of your favorite music blogs. The theme for this week’s playlist is “Springtime.”
Photo: Angela Wu
You can check out the full playlist below.
Owen @ Wine and Bowties
Ghostland Observatory – “Midnight Voyage”
I’ve definitely been feeling the barefoot, springtime vibe so I was pretty juiced to find out this weeks theme. Anyways… the band is Ghostland Observatory. They get down. Front man Aaron Behrens makes me forget bell bottoms aren’t cool. I’m imagining the setting for this song to be at a barbeque after everyone’s eaten and the sun is almost down… buzzed… then this song comes on and everyone realizes it’s time to dance. Hard. That would be awesome.
Confusion @ Pigeons and Planes
The Shins – “Chutes Too Narrow”
I put this Shins song on a spring break mix years ago and now it always reminds me of driving to the beach with the windows down in a car full of friends.
Ben @ The Metropolitan Jolt
The Knife – “Pass This On”
I have always loved this tropical track from The Knife. Its utilization makes it unlike any other songs from the group. And I guess it’s really a bit more summery than spring time, but I think it still applies. Made to be enjoyed in warm weather.
Levi @ Lost In The Sound
Blue Öyster Cult – “Then Came the Last Days of May”
I hold a special place for Blue Öyster Cult. I think that they’re one of the most underappreciated bands of their era, and this song is a good demonstration of their utility outside of their singles. A laid-back, somber song, it’s music strongly evokes the cool desert imagery. Perhaps an inversion of the typical rebirth feelings of spring, the setting and feeling make it worthy of a spring playlist.
Marc @ Umstrum
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson – “Relator”
Whenever I hear this song, no matter whether it’s hot or cold outside, I feel like spring has arrived. I don’t know if it’s the summery guitar chords, the bouncy rhythm or the soft vocals but it just feels like the temperature rises a few degrees every time I play it. Give it a try! Play the song and close your eyes. Can’t you see yourself driving a car across the country with your windows open and the sun hitting hard on the windowshield? It always works…
Chris @ Daily Beatz
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – “Up From Below”
Springtime is one of my favorite times of the year. Mostly because it means the end of another long and brutal winner and the start of a few months of fantastic weather and good times before it all goes downhill again. “Up From Below”, one of my favorite Eddie Sharpe tunes, seems to capture this emotion pretty well, both lyrically and with its undeniably bright and upbeat music.
Mikayla @ LOOSE L!PS
The Virgins – “Rich Girls (Le Castle Vania Remix)”
An oldie but a goodie, Le Castle Vania’s remix of The Virgins “Rich Girls” is my ultimate spring song. With its stomping beat, criminally funky bassline, vocal oohs (which are my musical Achilles heel), and mock-guitar whines, it is THE staple piece in every ‘sunny day’ playlist I’ve created in the past year and a half. Just try to listen to it without grooving. Now take it to your car, roll your windows down, and start cruising. Just trust me on this one.
Frank @ Lost In The Sound
Steel Train – “Bullet”
One of 2010’s biggest surprises for me was New Jersey indie rock band Steel Train’s third studio album. “Bullet” is the opening track, which pretty much encapsulates what the entire album is about: non-stop fun. Highlighting frontman Jack Antonoff’s easily distinguishable voice, the crescendoing chorus is perfect for a sunny day.
Justice to Release Civilization?
If you’re a fan of French dance duo Justice, you’ll know that the past three years (since they released †) have been filled with numerous rumors about new music. Now, though, it appears the follow-up to the group’s debut album is finally upon us. Via a new teaser video and Facebook account, it appears that Justice are gearing up to release a new album titled Civilization this year through Ed Banger Records. This news comes right on the heels of French creative design agency Surface To Air’s announcement that they created the artwork (included on the right) for Justice’s brand new single (posted on their website).
Check out the supposed trailer here. So is this all yet another fake rumor? At this point, things are still very unclear but only time will tell…
New Starfucker Music Video
Starfucker has released a music video for “Quality Time”, a song from their new album Reptilians, set for a physical release on March 15th via Polyvinyl. You can read a review of the album here and watch the music video below.
Review: Starfucker – Reptilians
Starfucker – Reptilians
Released: March 8, 2011
Label: Polyvinyl Record Co.
Purchase: iTunes | Insound | Amazon
What’s in a name? Unfortunately, a lot; something Portland indie-eletronic rockers Starfucker can certainly attest to. Since forming under the moniker Starfucker, the band has rotated between the more appropriate STRFKR, PYRAMID, and finally, Pyramiddd. What do all of these names have in common? Not very much to be honest, and for that reason, the incredibly erratic name changes have confused fans hoping to catch the band’s stunning live shows. Perhaps on yet another whim, the band finally decided to change back to the notorious Starfucker, keeping STRFKR reserved for all-age venues.
As we all know, there is more to a band than their name, but the hype and notoriety surrounding Starfucker’s choice of names can certainly be accredited as catalysts in the band’s three short and promising years of existence. Reptilians is a capable, ambitious effort to meet the hype and match the expectations of fans after a slightly disappointing debut. Where the self-titled Starfucker was highly inconsistent and spotty, Reptilians is a conscious effort by the band to produce the solid pop songs that they always had the potential to.
Opening track “Born” blurs genres, beginning the journey that is Reptilians. Straying somewhere between acoustic and electronic, “Born” feels like a meeting between Death Cab For Cutie and Passion Pit – a very fruitful meeting at that. “Julius” keeps up the pace, featuring layers and layers of instrumentation. Underneath it all is a simple, throbbing bass line, covered with glittering synth lines and finally, Joshua Hodge’s distinctive, spacey falsetto.
Much of the album is built with a similar blueprint in mind. Reptilians engulfs the listener with its waves of fast-paced, driving melodies and sweeping synth riffs. There is something inherently fun about a solid, chipper synth tune and Starfucker certainly knows this; for the most part, they excel at creating ridiculously catchy dance tunes. “Mystery Cloud”, the second single from the album, is centered on a dancy, repetitive riff, carrying the tune from start to finish.
Further down the tracklisting lies “The White Of Noon”, one of the best songs on the album, but could also be described as the only song on the album or even worse, the band’s entire discography. As Reptilians drags on, the sounds begin to merge together, with no real distinguishing factor between them. Over the course of the album, the mishaps on their self-titled album begin to rear their heads again. While Reptilians is more consistent than the former, the band still seems to struggle to pull together an entire album of solid music.
This is not to say, however, that Reptilians is a bad album or that Starfucker is not creative enough to create a good album – both of these opinions lie on polar ends of the spectrum. Instead, Starfucker lies somewhere in between “an instant classic” and “average”. When considered individually, many songs from Reptilians, such as “The White Of Noon”, debut single “Julius”, and the more relaxed “Mona Vegas”, provide brilliant lapses into a jaunty, atmospheric escape of sound.
For the most part, there is nothing intrinsically new on this album that hasn’t been already done. Starfucker, ironically, find themselves trapped in a genre they helped to father, surrounded by the similar-soundingPassion Pit and MGMT. I, however, am not complaining. This is catchy, spacey, and overly fun synth rock. This is party music to live your life to. Or, if you are more of a partier, this is lively music to party to. Either way, you’ll have a good time.
8.6
Standout Tracks: “Julius”, “Death as a Fetish”, “The White Of Noon”, and “Mona Vegas”
New James Blake Video
Check out the music video for James Blake‘s song “The Wilhelm Scream” right here. His eponymous debut album will be released February 7th, 2011 on A&M Records. You can also check out the video for the album’s lead single “Limit to Your Love“, a Feist cover, right here.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Scoring The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who scored The Social Network, will be reteaming with director David Fincher to score his upcoming film The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
Jamie xx + Gil Scott-Heron = Remix Album
I’m New Here, released in February 2010, was Gil Scott-Heron‘s first album in thirteen years. Jamie of The xx has remixed thirteen tracks from the I’m New Here studio sessions, creating a new album entitled We’re New Here, which is scheduled for a February 21st release. Read more to listen to the tracks “I’ll Take Care Of U” and “NY Is Killing Me,” as well as the tracklisting.
Track Listing
01. I’m New Here
02. Home
03. I’ve Been Me (Interlude)
04. Running
05. My Cloud
06. Certain Things (Interlude)
07. The Crutch
08. Ur Soul and Mine
09. Parents (Interlude)
10. Piano Player
11. NY Is Killing Me
12. Jazz (Interlude)
13. I’ll Take Care Of U
End of the Year Coverage: 2010
Ah, 2010. What a great year it has been. (Unfortunately, I’m a poet and I don’t even know it. There I go again…) The following lists, written by our staff writers and beloved guests, serve as a mere glimpse into what we have enjoyed this past year. They are, in no way, shape or form, a complete image of what we have listened to, but hopefully, they guide you towards albums that you may have missed throughout the year. The following lists are also not a list of the “best” albums of the year, but our favorites.
So without further ado, bring on the awards and the lists!
Frank Wu
Featured Stream: Angus & Julia Stone – “Draw Your Swords”
Staff Album of the Year:
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Whether you believe it’s over-produced, over-excessive, over-reliant on guests or just over-the-top Kanye, there is no doubt in our minds that Kanye West, the man with his ego in a Luis Vutton bag, has released the Album of the Year with his album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. From the obscure but incredibly fitting sampling in “Dark Fantasy”, Kanye’s blaring self-image in “Power”, Nicki Minaj’s biting verse in “Monster”, Chris Rock’s comedic “Yeezy Taught Me” skit in “Blame Game”, to Gil Scott-Heron’s preaching in “Who Will Survive In America”, there really isn’t anything left to be said about this album that hasn’t been said already. Kanye has not only crafted his own masterpiece but has probably created an album to be remembered for decades to come. (Pardon the melodrama.)
Tait Gu
Biggest Thank You:
Drake – Thank Me Later
Thanks Drake! You didn’t even have to ask.
Best Album Art:
Caribou – Swim
This Is An Award To The Most Direct Album Art.
The Black Keys – Brothers
Frank Wu
Albums of the Year
1. Angus & Julia Stone – Down The Way
2. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
3. Jimmy Eat World – Invented
4. The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
5. Kid Cudi – Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager
6. The National – High Violet
7. Shad – TSOL
8. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
9. HoneyChild – Nearer The Earth
10. Steel Train – Steel Train
11. Drake – Thank Me Later
12. The Roots – How I Got Over
13. Hellogoodbye – Would It Kill You?
14. Vampire Weekend – Contra
15. 65daysofstatic – We Were Exploding Anyway
16. Valencia – Dancing With A Ghost
17. Jónsi – Go
18. Anberlin – Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place
19. Broken Bells – Broken Bells
20. Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History
Honorable Mentions
Aziz Ansari – Intimate Moments For A Sensual Evening
B.o.B – B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray
Beach House – Teen Dream
Best Coast – Crazy For You
Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot The Son Of Chico Dusty
The Black Keys – Brothers
Caribou – Swim
Curren$y – Pilot Talk
Curren$y – Pilot Talk II
Das Racist – Shut Up, Dude
Das Racist – Sit Down, Man
Dessa – A Badly Broken Code
Eminem – Recovery
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
House of Heroes – Suburba
Julia Stone – The Memory Machine
Minus The Bear – OMNI
Motion City Soundtrack – My Dinosaur Life
Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
Neon Trees – Habits
Portugal. The Man – American Ghetto
Rooney – Eureka
Sage Francis – L(i)fe
The Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
Wakey!Wakey! – Almost Everything I Wish I’d Said The Last Time I Saw You…
The Wonder Years – The Upsides
Xiu Xiu – Dear God, I Hate Myself
You, Me, and Everyone We Know – Some Things Don’t Wash Out
EPs of the Year
1. Lydia – Assailants
2. Atmosphere – To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy: The Atmosphere EP’s
3. Looking For Alaska – Everything We All Wish We Could Be EP
4. Heinali and Matt Finney – Conjoined EP
Mixtapes of the Year
1. Wale – More About Nothing
2. J. Cole – Friday Night Lights
3. Kid Cudi – Cudder Is Back
4. XV – Vizzy Zone
Hardest-Working Artist of 2010
Kanye West
Top Songs of the Year
Angus & Julia Stone – “Draw Your Swords”
B.o.B – “Airplanes (feat. Hayley Williams)”
The Dangerous Summer – “Good Things”
HoneyChild – “The Father”
Jimmy Eat World – “Invented”
Kanye West – “Runaway (feat. Pusha T)”
Kanye West – “Gorgeous”
Kid Cudi – “MANIAC (feat. Cage & St. Vincent)”
The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
Wale – “The Eyes of the Tiger”
Yeasayer – “Madder Red”
You, Me, and Everyone We Know – “Shock and Awe”
Most Anticipated for 2011
Angus & Julia Stone
The Dangerous Summer
Death Cab For Cutie
Foo Fighters
Kanye West and Jay-Z
louellen
Manchester Orchestra
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Patrick Stump
The Strokes
Yellowcard
Tait Gu
Albums of the Year
1. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
4. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
5. Sleigh Bells – Treats
6. No Age – Everything In Between
7. Vampire Weekend – Contra
8. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles II
9. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
10. MGMT – Congratulations
11. Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
12. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
13. Avey Tare – Down There
14. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
15. Caribou – Swim
16. Curren$y – Pilot Talk
17. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
18. Wavves – King of the Beach
19. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot The Son Of Chico Dusty
20. Girl Talk – All Day
Songs of the Year
Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”
LCD Soundsystem – “Dance Yrslf Clean”
Gorillaz – “Empire Ants”
Flying Lotus – “Do the Astral Plane”
Avey Tare – “Laughing Hieroglyphic”
Beach House – “Walk in the Park”
Crystal Casltes – “Celestica”
Deerhunter – “Desire Lines”
Kanye West – “POWER”
No Age – “Chem Trails”
Vampire Weekend – “White Sky”
Sleigh Bells – “Rill Rill”
MGMT – “Congratulations”
Cee-Lo Green – “Fuck You”
Big Boi – “Daddy Fat Sax”
Most Anticipated for 2011
Panda Bear
Radiohead
The Strokes
Gorillaz
Cut Copy
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
Kevin Miao
Albums of the Year
1. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
2. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
3. MGMT – Congratulations
4. The Radio Dept. – Clinging to a Scheme
5. Kid CuDi – Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager
6. The National – High Violet
7. Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
8. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
9. Free Energy – Stuck on Nothing
10. Sleigh Bells – Treats
11. A Great Big Pile of Leaves – Have You Seen My Prefrontal Cortex?
12. Freelance Whales – Weathervanes
13. Tokyo Police Club – Champ
14. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
15. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
16. Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History
17. LCD Sound System – This Is Happening
18. Beach House – Teen Dream
19. The Wonder Years – The Upsides
20. Deadmau5 – 4×4=12
Mark Johnson
Albums of the Year
(In no particular order)
1. Letlive – Fake History
2. Proceed – Curious Electric
3. Underoath – Disambiguation
4. Tides of Man – Dreamhouse
5. Chiodos – Illuminaudio
6. E.S. Posthumus – Makara
7. Pierce the Veil – Selfish Machines
8. Brightwood – Elementals
9. Lights – Acoustic EP
10. Funeral for a Friend – Young and Defenceless
11. Trophy Scars – Darkness, Oh Hell
12. Emarosa – Emarosa
13. Circa Survive – Blue Sky Noise
14. Conditions – Fluorescent Youth
15. The Bled – Heat Fetish
16. Deftones – Diamond Eyes
17. The Great American Beast – Domestic Blood
Christian Corless (Louellen)
Albums of the Year
(In no particular order)
1. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
2. The Walkmen – Lisbon
3. M.I.A. – // / Y /
4. Ryan Adams and The Cardinals – III/IV
5. Bob Dylan – The Witmark Demos
6. The National – High Violet
7. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
8. Interpol – Interpol
9. Sufjan Stevens – The Age Of Adz
10. She & Him – Volume Two
Most Anticipated for 2011
The Strokes
Richard Picot (Louellen)
Albums of the Year
1. Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
2. Interpol – Interpol
3. The National – High Violet
4. The Walkmen – Lisbon
5. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
6. The Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
7. Frightened Rabbit – The Winter Of Mixed Drinks
8. Blonde Redhead – Penny Sparkle
9. No Age – Everything In Between
10. Four Tet – There Is Love In You
Kyle Huntington (7Ravens and AbsolutePunk.net)
Albums of the Year
1. Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
2. The National – High Violet
3. Bombay Bicycle Club – Flaws
4. Warpaint – The Fool
5. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
6. Theophilus London – I Want You
7. Four Tet – There Is Love In You
8. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
9. Sleigh Bells – Treats
10. Crocodiles – Sleep Forever
Most Anticipated for 2011
The Maccabees – TBA
Bombay Bicycle Club – TBA
Laura Marling – TBA
The Vaccines – TBA
louellen – Union EP
The Strokes – TBA
The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar
Feist – TBA
Yuck – Yuck
Chapel Club – Palace
Death Cab For Cutie – TBA
Heinali and Matt Finney
Albums of the Year
1. The National – High Violet
2. The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
3. Whirl – Distressor
4. Superman Revenge Squad – Dead Crow Blues
5. Yawning – Noah
6. Bad Books – Bad Books
7. Black Swan – In 8 Movements
8. Murmuure – Murmuure
Most Anticipated for 2011
1. This Will Destroy You – Tunnel Blanket
2. Sleepmakeswaves’ New Album
New Daft Punk Video
Daft Punk has released a new Tron: Legacy themed video for their song “Derezzed” which you can watch right here.
New Girl Talk Album Download
Girl Talk‘s new album All Day is available for free download over at Illegal Art’s (Girl Talk’s label) website.
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